Pomegranate + Empress = Pompress

Ingredients

• 2 oz Empress gin (this butterfly pea blossom infused gin enhances the lovely colour of the cocktail)

• 1/2 oz vermouth

• 2 tbsp pomegranate seeds

• 1/2 oz lemon juice

• 3/4 oz simple syrup

• 2 dashes black lemon bitters (this recipe uses Scrappy’s Bitters)

• Prosecco

• Cubed ice

• Rosemary sprigs

Method

• Create rosemary smoke: Burn a small sprig of rosemary using a matchstick or a kitchen lighter, place it on a small plate or chopping board, and immediately invert a spritzer glass over it. Let it sit till the cocktail is ready to be poured.

• In a cocktail stirring glass or pitcher, muddle the pomegranate seeds and a few rosemary leaves. Add the gin, vermouth, lemon juice, simple syrup, bitters, and cubed ice to the pitcher, and stir well using a bar spoon. Straighten the rosemary smoked glass, add a few ice cubes to it, and pour the cocktail in. Top off the glass with prosecco and garnish with another rosemary sprig. Salud!